Heart attack victim saved by students

Runshaw Public Services students Sam Ashcroft, Oliver Walkden and Jess Smithtodd with tutor Naveed Sharif, who all helped a pensioner after he suffered a heart attack outside the college

Published:12:39Tuesday 10 June 2014

Share this article

Fast-thinking Runshaw students have been hailed heroes after coming to the rescue of a dog walker who suffered a heart attack outside the Leyland college.

The three Public Services students had undergone first aid training just weeks before and knew how to bandage up the pensioner’s head wounds after he fell to the ground on Langdale Road.

The man, believed to now be recovering at home, was taken care of by 17-year-olds Oliver Walkden and Jess Smithtodd while Sam Ashcroft ran to find a first-aid kit.

A postman called 999 as the man slipped in and out of consciousness.

Today, the students’ tutor, Naveed Sharif, says he has ‘never been more proud’ and has praised them for their fast actions.

“They knew exactly what to do”, he said. “They put a blanket under his head and even bandaged up his wounds and put him in the recovery

position.

“They are emergency service students and they will have to deal with this kind of thing.

“They did an absolutely excellent job stabilising the man. They did everything right.

“I never get to see the fruits of my labour, and I was just beaming with pride.

“We didn’t realise at the time but a big group of students was watching us from the upstairs windows at the college. Once the man was put into the ambulance, they all started clapping and cheering.”

Mr Sharif, who used to work for the fire service, added: “I’ve spoken to the man since and he’s recovering at home from a heart attack.

“We didn’t know at the time that’s what had happened, but it was even more fundamental that he was placed into the recovery position, under the circumstances.”

Oliver, from Bamber Bridge, who wants to be a paramedic, said: “We’d just finished lesson and were walking out when Jess grabbed my arm and said she’d just seen the man collapse. We ran over and asked his name and put him in the recovery position.

“He was called Norman and we were talking to him while Sam went to get a first aid kit.

“We’d had the British Red Cross training as part of our college course a few weeks before, which was quite lucky.”

He added: “We managed to keep calm. We knew that if we panicked it would just make the situation worse.

“Because of our training, we knew what we needed to do.”

Sam, 17, from Burscough, wants to join the police force after college.

He said: “There was a lot of blood from a head wound where he’d hit the floor, so we knew we needed to control that and keep his airways clear too.”

Jess, from Clayton Brook, who wants to join the army, added: “The man was in and out of consciousness and his dog kept trying to wake him up, so we took control of the dog too.”

The trio have since received a principal’s commendation for their actions.

- The Guardian would like to speak to the gentleman involved. If you can help us contact him, please call Kay Taylor on 01257 264911.

Trending

Pub’s pergola plans ‘tacky’ say residents

Worries over the future of crown green bowls in Leyland after club protesters are locked out of town green